CIA agent who worked under both Bush and Obama administrations, cannot bring himself to work under Trump's.

Courtesy of WaPo: 

The CIA taught me new skills and exposed me to new cultures and countries. More important, it instilled in me a sense of mission and purpose. As an analyst, I became an expert in terrorist groups and traveled the world to help deter and disrupt attacks. The administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama took the CIA’s input seriously. There was no greater reward than having my analysis presented to the president and seeing it shape events. Intelligence informing policy — this is how the system is supposed to work. I saw that up close for the past three years at the White House, where I worked on loan from the CIA until last month. 

As a candidate, Donald Trump’s rhetoric suggested that he intended to take a different approach. I watched in disbelief when, during the third presidential debate, Trump casually cast doubt on the high-confidence conclusion of our 17 intelligence agencies, released that month, that Russia was behind the hacking and release of election-related emails. On the campaign trail and even as president-elect, Trump routinely referred to the flawed 2002 assessment of Iraq’s weapons programs as proof that the CIA couldn’t be trusted — even though the intelligence community had long ago held itself to account for those mistakes and Trump himself supported the invasion of Iraq. 

Trump’s actions in office have been even more disturbing. His visit to CIA headquarters on his first full day in office, an overture designed to repair relations, was undone by his ego and bluster. Standing in front of a memorial to the CIA’s fallen officers, he seemed to be addressing the cameras and reporters in the room, rather than the agency personnel in front of them, bragging about his inauguration crowd the previous day. Whether delusional or deceitful, these were not the remarks many of my former colleagues and I wanted to hear from our new commander in chief. I couldn’t help but reflect on the stark contrast between the bombast of the new president and the quiet dedication of a mentor — a courageous, dedicated professional — who is memorialized on that wall. I know others at CIA felt similarly. 

The final straw came late last month, when the White House issued a directive reorganizing the National Security Council, on whose staff I served from 2014 until earlier this year. Missing from the NSC’s principals committee were the CIA director and the director of national intelligence. Added to the roster: the president’s chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, who cut his teeth as a media champion of white nationalism.

I have to imagine that there are MANY who feel the same way that Edward Price feels about Trump within the intelligence community. After all he essentially labeled them Nazis at one time.

However I have to hope that the majority of them stay on the job because, despite Trump's indifference to their work, we certainly need them. 

We are living in dangerous times, made even more so by our Kremlin compromised president.

In fact perhaps the greatest need is for them to keep an eye on him, because the danger he presents appears more immediate and potentially harmful than a few ragtag terrorists. 

Colin Powell endorses Hillary Clinton.

Proud to have the endorsement of General Powell, a decorated soldier and distinguished statesman. https://t.co/4uBFn2aw4W -H

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 26, 2016

Courtesy of CNN: 

Former Republican Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday he'll vote for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, a high-profile snub of his party's standard-bearer, Donald Trump. 

Powell, who also served in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, backed President Barack Obama in both the 2008 and 2012 campaigns. He announced his plan to a Long Island group during a luncheon. 

The announcement was confirmed by Powell's chief of staff, Peggy Cifrino.

I don't think that this should really come as much of a surprise despite the fact that Powell was a little irritated that Hillary pulled him into the private email server debate.

After all he also endorsed President Obama in both 2008 and 2012 and his feelings about Trump were already exposed in one of his own hacked emails: 

"Trump is nuts. Everybody wants me to speak out, but I will pick the time and place for maximum effect like I did in 2008 and 2012. Right now, Trump is his worst own enemy."

Still it's yet another feather in Hillary's cap and another reminder that those who understand the job of President the best do not want Donald Trump anywhere near it. 

Former FEMA director Michael "Heck of a job" Brown criticizes President Obama for not showing up for a photo-op during Louisiana flooding.

"I have no fucking idea what I'm doing?"

Courtesy of Mediaite:  

The ex-director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is criticizing President Obama for not making a better effort to head down to Louisiana and address the state’s devastating floods. 

“He could have gone to Lilly Armstrong Airport in New Orleans and made a statement there, or at the very least, what he should have done,” Brown said according to Washington Examiner. “The president needs to make sure that the entire Cabinet, that all of the departments and agencies of the federal government, know that if the FEMA director asks for anything, by damn, give it to him…” 

This has got to be a joke right?

I mean this guy cannot seriously come out of the woodwork to criticize this President over his response to this disaster? Can he?

As I mentioned in my previous post on Friday President Obama immediately signed the Louisiana Disaster Declaration which provided REAL support for those victimized by the flooding, and he is planning to visit on Tuesday.

As has also been reported the Governor of Louisiana asked the President to wait: 

“It is a major ordeal, they free up the interstate for him,” Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Thursday. “We have to take hundreds of local first responders, police officers, sheriffs, deputies and state troopers to provide security for that type of visit.” 

“I would just as soon have those people engaged in the response rather than trying to secure the president,” Bel Edwards continued. “So I’d ask him to wait, if he would, another couple weeks.”

As he said the Governor would really prefer that the President wait a few weeks longer, but unfortunately there is now so much political pressure being applied that if Obama does not visit soon the Republicans will find some way to make this Hillary's fault and use it against her in campaign ads.

By the way for those of you who may have forgotten, or are too young to remember, THIS is why Michael Brown's criticisms are laughable.

If that had been me I would NEVER have shown my face in public again.

George W. Bush hits the campaign trail for his brother Jeb! Why not? After all how much worse can it get?

AArrgghh!!! I was wrong, this is worse!

Courtesy of Yahoo News: 

George W. Bush never mentioned Donald Trump. But with his folksy touch, the former president unleashed a tough takedown Monday of the billionaire businessman who has upended a Republican Party his family has long led. 

"I understand Americans are angry and frustrated," Bush said during his first campaign rally for his brother, Jeb Bush. "But we do not need somebody in the Oval Office who mirrors and inflames our anger and frustration." 

The former president emerged from his self-imposed political hibernation to try to give Bush a boost. He layered each validation of his younger brother with an implicit critique of Trump. 

He urged voters to back a candidate who will be "measured and thoughtful" on the world stage. A candidate whose "humility" helps him understand what he doesn't know. A candidate who can win in November's general election. 

"All the sloganeering and all the talk doesn't matter if we don't win," Bush said. "We need somebody who can take a positive message across the country."

Jeb Bush can win in November?

Hah! He can't even win ONE of his own party's primaries.

In fact he can't even place among the top three in the primaries. 

And if he thinks that bringing his brother out of the mothballs and shoving him in front of the American people is going to help him one little bit, well then he drastically underestimates the damage that George W's presidency did to this country.

Now if you will excuse me I have to perform my "seeing George W. Bush on TV" ritual, which is to go into a closet and scream until I can't scream anymore.

It's going to be a little hard or Donald Trump to restart America's torture program if the torturers refuse to torture.

Courtesy of Newsweek: 

Donald Trump would face huge resistance at the CIA if he were elected president and ordered the spy agency to resume waterboarding—or “worse,” as the Republican candidate has repeatedly pledged. 

John Rizzo, who was a top CIA lawyer during the time the agency used “enhanced interrogation techniques,” or EITs, on prisoners, predicts CIA officials would rather resign than obey orders to revert to “hard measures” like waterboarding and beatings. 

“I think certainly many of those who were connected to the EIT program over its six years’ span—and hundreds are still there—would‎ resign or retire rather than have to go down that perilous road again,” Rizzo tells Newsweek. “Who could blame them?”

As pretty much everybody, who is not Donald Trump, knows torture not only does not work, but it is against EVERYTHING this country stands for.

And the very idea that Trump wants to take America back to the shameful days of the Bush administration should disqualify him from any consideration as our Commander-in-Chief.

However since we have apparently been thrown into some kind of alternate reality, it hasn't.

And because it hasn't we also get to hear the ignorant things that Trump has to say about the Pope: 

In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump was asked about Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico, where he intends pray with undocumented immigrants and immigration activists and celebrate Mass along the U.S.-Mexico. 

“The pope is a very political person,” Trump said. “I think he doesn't understand the problems our country has. I don't think he understands the danger of the open border that we have with Mexico.” 

Trump then implied that the Mexican government forced the Holy Father to take a stand on immigration.

That's right because Mexico has so much control over the Pope, right?

But it doesn't make any difference, this will not damage his poll numbers either because you know, that whole alternate reality thing.

Nothing gets Jeb Bush as riled up as people "attacking" his brother. In that case Jeb! might want to skip reading this post.

Courtesy of Politico:  

During a 35-minute discussion for POLITICO’s “Off Message” podcast, the former Florida governor was at turns deeply reflective about the long-term implications of the brutal Republican primary on his party — and personally engaged in dismantling his opponents, especially his protégé-turned-rival Rubio, who, he believes, is too callow, inexperienced and calculating to be president. 

But Bush was most emotional when I asked what he’d learned from his brother’s tumultuous final few years as one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history. 

“I would say the last part of my brother’s time, the part I didn’t like, was that they just let the incoming come,” Bush said, his voice rising. “I got tired of that, tired because I love my brother, and my impulse watching the news in the last three years where they — no one seemed to defend him — was get out there and fight.” 

Gee, poor widdle Jeb.

Had to stand by and watch while the media went after his brother for almost destroying the fucking country.

The reason that "no one seemed to defend him" is because what he had done was indefensible.

He lied to the America people. Started two unnecessary wars. Stood by and did nothing while people drowned during Katrina. Was President during the worst terrorist attack in American history. And virtually destroyed the economy.

And that is by no means everything.

In fact as far as many Americans are concerned one the biggest travesties of our time is that George W. and this cohorts were not found guilty of treason and are not sitting in federal penitentiaries right now.

So if Jeb Bush does not want to hear bad things said about his brother, then perhaps he ought to end his failing campaign, go home, unplug his television and computer, and hide under the covers for the next thirty years or so.

Oh, and Fuck you and your entire criminal family.

Here's a wake up call to anybody who still thinks that Jeb! is not a Bush through and through.

Source

Jesus, just looking at that kick starts MY PTSD.

I am not at all sure I could survive another Bush presidency.

Or a Cruz presidency, or a Trump presidency, or a Rubio presidency, or a.....hell let's just keep the whole lot of them out of the White House why don't we?

Statue of Satan placed in US Capitol. Oh wait, that's Dick Cheney.

I don;t know, still kinda looks like Satan to me.

Courtesy of ABC News:

A marble bust of former Vice President Dick Cheney was officially unveiled today in the U.S. Capitol. During a mid-day ceremony, Cheney was introduced by his former boss, President George W. Bush. 

“I must confess I’m somewhat reluctant to come back to Washington. The last time I showed up here I was hanged in the White House,” Bush said in reference to his official portrait. “This time I’ve returned only to find my vice president getting busted in the Capitol.” 

President Bush said that when he told his father, President George H.W. Bush, he would be attending today’s ceremony, “Dad perked up and he said, ‘Send my best regards to old iron-a**.’”

Well all I can say is that when tourists visit the Capital, and find themselves with a mouthful of saliva, now they know where to deposit it.

Not that I am advocating any type of vandalism, after all I'm pretty sure that is some kind of federal offense and I'm too pretty for prison, but you know some kind of gesture just to express your emotions at seeing this bust seems appropriate.

To be serious for a moment, Dick Cheney is a war criminal and traitor to this country. The only place he should be immortalized is on a list of the worst politicians in the history of the United States.

Lt. General reminds us who created Daesh. And no it was NOT President Obama.

Courtesy of Occupy Democrats:  

While the Republican presidential candidates use every bit of ideological gymnastics to somehow pin the rise of Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) on President Obama, the former commander of U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, Lt. General Michael Flynn dropped an incredible bombshell in an interview with German newspaper Der Spiegel: that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, was in a United States military prison in 2004 – and released because he was deemed “harmless.” 

Nothing more perfectly illustrates what a colossal failure the George W. Bush Administration was. While Bush was busy torturing Osama bin Laden’s bodyguards in a desperate and barbaric attempt to rectify his intelligence failures, the mastermind who would found the Islamic State was in their clutches the entire time. Flynn went on to describe how the Bush Administration’s knee-jerk reaction to 9/11 and their catastrophic invasion of Iraq went on to create the colossal quagmire that is the Islamic State. 

“We were too dumb. We didn’t understand who we had there at that moment. When 9/11 occurred, all the emotions took over, and our response was, ‘Where did those bastards come from? Let’s go kill them. Let’s go get them.’ Instead of asking why they attacked us, we asked where they came from. Then we strategically marched in the wrong direction.” 

He then ripped the Republican war hawks for their relentless calls to invade Syria and provoke war with the Islamic Republic of Iran, rightly recognizing that this kind of foolish arrogance only serves to breed more terrorism and more violence, and got us here in the first place: 

“First we went to Afghanistan, where al-Qaeda was based, then we went to Iraq. Instead of asking ourselves why the phenomenon of terror occurred, we were looking for locations. This is a major lesson we must learn in order not to make the same mistakes again. It was huge error. As brutal as Saddam Hussein was, it was a mistake to just eliminate him. The same is true for Moammar Gadhafi and for Libya, which is now a failed state. The historic lesson is that it was a strategic failure to go into Iraq. History will not be and should not be kind with that decision.”

It should also be mentioned that our policies around the world before 9-11 also contributed to the hatred toward the west, that evolved into acts of terrorism. 

Before we created Daesh, we created Al-Qaeda, and if we do not heed Lt. General Flynn's warnings we will continue to create our own demons far into the future.

George H. Bush calls Dick Cheney "Arrogant" and "Iron ass." Oh now it's on!

Courtesy of The Guardian: 

Former US president George HW Bush has hit out at Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, two of the most senior figures in his son’s administration, labelling them too “hardline” and “arrogant” in their handling of the 11 September attacks. 

A new biography of the 41st president – Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey Of George Herbert Walker Bush – reveals that Bush Sr held Cheney and Rumsfeld responsible for the hawkish stance that “hurt” his son’s administration, Fox News reported on Wednesday. 

“The reaction [to 9/11], what to do about the Middle East. Just iron-ass. His seeming knuckling under to the real hard-charging guys who want to fight about everything, use force to get our way in the Middle East,” Bush told Meacham in the book, which is due to be published next week.

Of course Papa Bush does not extend the same criticism to his son:  

“He’s my son, he did his best and I’m for him. It’s that simple an equation.”

Well what did you expect?

Still Bush senior coming out against Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the response to 9-11 is huge.

And it comes at a rather inopportune time for Darth Cheney as there is a resolution about to be introduced to the Senate to honor the former VP and war criminal:  

Starting in December, the likeness of former Vice President Dick Cheney will grace the U.S. Capitol, in accordance with a Senate tradition honoring former vice presidents. 

The Huffington Post was tipped off by a Senate resolution "authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the unveiling of the marble bust of Vice President Richard Cheney on December 3, 2015."

Yeah well they better plan on having around the clock security because I CANNOT imagine a more likely target for vandalism than a bust of Dick Cheney.

Personally my all time favorite fantasy is seeing Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, Rove, and Wolfowitz all marched off in chains to serve out the rest of their lives on a federal penitentiary as war criminals.

Jeb bush trips all over himself trying to explain why it is reasonable to blame Hillary Clinton for Benghazi but not blame his brother for 9-11.

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

Tapper wondered if Bush’s loyalty to his brother “might be in some ways a political or policy liability blinding you to mistakes he made.” 

“It’s what you do after that matters,” Bush insisted. “Does anybody actually blame my brother for the attacks on 9/11? If they do, they’re totally marginalized in our society. It’s what he did afterwards that mattered, and I’m proud of him. And so are a bunch of other people.” 

“Obviously al Qaeda was responsible for the terrorist attacks of 9/11,” the CNN host pressed. “But how do you respond to critics who ask if your brother and his administration bear no responsibility at all, how do you then make the jump that President Obama and Secretary Clinton are responsible for what happened at Benghazi?” 

Bush stammered in response: “Well, I — the question on Benghazi, which we will now finally get the truth to, is was the place secure? They had a responsibility at the Department of State to have proper security.” 

“And how was the response in the aftermath of the attack?” he continued. “Was there a chance that these four American lives could have been saved? That’s what the investigation is about, it’s not a political issue… Were we doing the job of protecting our embassies and our consulates, and during the period, those hours after the attacks started, could they have been saved?” 

“That’s kind of proving the point of the critics,” Tapper noted. “You don’t want you brother to bear responsibility for 9/11 — and I understand that argument and al Qaeda is responsible — but why are the terrorists not the ones that are responsible for these attacks in Libya?” 

“They are!” Bush replied. “But if the ambassador was asking for additional security and they didn’t get it, that’s a proper point. And if it’s proven that the security was adequate compared to other embassies, then fine, we’ll move on.”

Actually there was already a report released back in 2014 which found that Hillary Clinton and the Obama Administration acted appropriately to the attack, and that there was no cover up: 

The final report, from Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Michigan, and ranking member Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Maryland, concludes there was no intelligence failure prior to the attack, no stand-down order to CIA operatives trying to go assist at the besieged consular building and found conflicting intelligence in the wake of the attack about the motive and cause, which were reflected in early public comments by the administration.

Of course Jeb! already knows this just like WE all know that his brother was warned repeatedly about a pending terrorist attack before 9-11 and did nothing to stop it. 

it should also be noted that there were 39 separate attacks on American embassies or embassy personnel during the Bush Administration resulting in the deaths of 87 people. Not all of them were American of course, but enough were to make the American death toll significantly higher than at Benghazi.

Simply put Donald Trump is destroying Jeb's candidacy one trolling tweet at a time, and Jeb! is helping him do it by rushing to defend his brother which invites unfavorable comparisons with the Obama administration.

President Obama abandons plan to remove all troops from Afghanistan, will leave 5,500 in place at end of term.

Courtesy of the New York Times: 

The United States will halt its military withdrawal from Afghanistan and instead keep thousands of troops in the country through the end of President Obama’s term in 2017, Mr. Obama announced on Thursday, prolonging the American role in a war that has now stretched on for 14 years. 

The current American force in Afghanistan of 9,800 troops will remain in place through most of 2016 under the Obama administration’s revised plans, before dropping to about 5,500 at the end of next year or in early 2017, Mr. Obama said. 

Some of the troops will continue to train and advise Afghan forces, while others will carry on the search for Qaeda fighters and militants from the Islamic State and other groups who have found a haven in Afghanistan, he said. 

In abandoning his ambition to bring home almost all American troops before leaving office, Mr. Obama appears to be acknowledging that Afghan security forces are still not near ready to hold off the Taliban on their own.

So we remain the occupying force that Donald Rumsfeld swore we would never be. 

As much as this upsets me it is pretty clear that considering what happened in Iraq after the withdrawal of American forces that the President does not feel he has much of a choice.

Of course it seems obvious that expecting the situation to improve enough someday to justify complete troop withdrawal now seems like a pipe dream. At some point whoever is in charge (Hi Hillary!) is simply going to have to say "fuck it" and bring the troops home knowing that everything is going to go to hell when they leave. 

But until that happens America continues to be trapped in an endless war, with no end in sight.

Lucky us.

The Jeb! campaign considering bringing in George W. to give it a boost with conservatives. Oh, yes that is EXACTLY what this campaign needs, more George W. Bush.

Courtesy of the New York Times:  

With Jeb Bush struggling to connect with some Republican activists, his campaign has begun exploring whether to bring in the person it thinks may be best equipped to give him a boost with skeptical conservatives: his brother George W. Bush. 

The 43rd president is a very popular figure among Republican voters and could deliver a needed jolt to his brother’s sluggish campaign. 

Advisers to Jeb Bush in this crucial early primary state have asked national campaign officials in recent weeks to send in George Bush, 69, who so far has appeared only at private fund-raisers, to vouch for his younger brother on the campaign trail. 

The request for reinforcement underlines the growing urgency that backers of Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, feel as other candidates vault ahead of him by stirring the passions of the party’s base.

Yes, yes, yes, what a splendid idea! 

And the great thing about it is that it will stir the passions in the base of BOTH parties!

You know if I were a consultant for the Jeb! campaign I would suggest just as many photo-ops with his brother as possible. I'm talking tons!

Hey maybe they could do a joint appearance on an aircraft carrier wearing matching flight suits?

Oh god, PLEASE make this happen!

(Sorry I got a little over excited there. I think I may have to change my pants now.)

Wait, wait how about this?

Bush/Bush 2016

(Yep I am definitely going to have to change my pants.)

Colin Powell says he remains in the Republican party because "it annoys them."

Courtesy of The Hill: 

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell joked that he identifies as a Republican to annoy the GOP’s right-wing. 

“Yes, I’m still a Republican,” he said about his party affiliation during the Washington Ideas Forum in Washington, D.C., according to the Daily Mail. 

“I want to continue to be a Republican because it annoys them,” Powell quipped to host Walter Isaacson. 

“I think the party has shifted much further right than where the country is and it should be obvious to party leaders that they cannot keep saying and doing the things that they were doing and hope to be successful in national-level election in the future, not just in 2016,” he added.

Joking or not I have little doubt that Colin Powell really does frustrate and irritate many Republican politicians because he is one of the few members of the Bush administration who came out with most of his reputation intact and he has not been shy about criticizing both his former administration and his current political party.

I remember that there was a time when the Republicans were pushing Powell to run for President.

Oh how times have changed.

Poll Finds that almost one third of Americans would support the military overthrow of their own government.

Courtesy of the Guardian: 

Almost a third of Americans could imagine supporting a military coup against their own government, according to a new poll. 

The YouGov survey showed 29% of Americans could imagine supporting a coup. Yet, 41% said they could not imagine supporting such an event. 

YouGov, which conducts internet polls about “politics, public affairs, products, brands and other topics of general interest”, surveyed 1,000 people online on the issue. 

They found that 43% of Republicans would support a military coup in certain instances, while only 20% of Democrats and 29% of independents would. 

The overall numbers increased when participants were “asked whether they would hypothetically support the military stepping in to take control from a civilian government which is beginning to violate the constitution”. 43% said yes to this, and 29% said no.

Well that's comforting.

And yet where were these people when the Bush administration lied us into an illegal war, started its own propaganda program to hide that fact, and created a program to spy on the American people? 

Oh that's right. That was all done by a white guy in the White House.

The idea that these idiots want to overthrow THIS government, which has worked tirelessly to repair the damage left by the last administration, stop the wars, and create millions of new jobs,  and not the one that almost bankrupted the country, and was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans, is proof positive that their motivation has nothing to do with merit and everything to do with skin color.

Chris Wallace to Dick Cheney on Iran: "In all fairness didn't you leave President Obama with a mess?" This happened on Fox News!

Courtesy of Crooks and Liars: 

"You and President Bush, the Bush-Cheney administration, dealt with Iran for eight years, and I think it was fair to say that there was never any real, serious military threat," Wallace noted. "Iran went from zero known centrifuges in operation to more than 5,000." 

"So in fairness, didn't you leave -- the Bush-Cheney administration -- leave President Obama with a mess?" the Fox News host asked. 

"I don't think of it that way," Cheney replied. "There was military action that had an impact on the Iranians, it was when we took down Saddam Hussein. There was a period of time when they stopped their program because they were scared that what we did to Saddam, we were going to do to them next." 

"But the centrifuges went from zero to 5,000," Wallace pressed. 

"Well, they may have well have gone but that happened on Obama's watch, not on our watch," Cheney wrongly insisted. 

"No, no, no," Wallace fired back. "By 2009, they were at 5,000."

What a day. First CNN lobs softball questions at Sarah Palin and then Fox News holds Dick Cheney's feet to the fie over Iran. 

Up is down, black is white, and I just don't know what to think.

Well look who returned to the scene of the crime.

Courtesy of Democratic Underground

Courtesy of NPR: 

Former President George W. Bush, whose legacy was marred by the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina, visited New Orleans today to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. 

Bush and his wife, Laura, arrived Friday morning at Warren Easton Charter High School, where they met with students as well as New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Kathleen Blanco, who was Louisiana's governor when Katrina hit in August 2005. 

In a speech at the school, the former president said he will never forget the images of "misery and ruin" from Katrina. He said New Orleans was a city where "the levies gave out but ... [the] people never gave up."

Yeah, but their government sure did, didn't it Georgie?

If it wasn't for the media scrutiny and the resulting outrage I think the Bush administration would have simply let this whole city just wash away.

I cannot believe that Bush has the balls to show is face his face in New Orleans.

It kind of reminds me of an arsonist who stands next to the firetruck to watch the building he set on fire burn.

Worst President EVER!

The real e-mail scandal that Republicans DON'T want to talk about.

@amychozick @marstu67 @HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/PJfWgblkw0

— Idea (@idea46) August 15, 2015

Republicans are having a field day with their fake outrage over Hillary's private e-mail server, but the fact is that it does not even come close to the crap pulled by the Bush administration.

Hillary Clinton gives Jeb Bush the smackdown over his contention that the Obama administration lost the Iraq War by bringing American troops home.

Hillary and Bill Clinton in Iowa.

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

"I find it somewhat curious that Jeb Bush is doubling down on - defending - his brother's actions in Iraq," she said at a press conference during a campaign stop at a state fair. "But if he's going to do that, he should present the entire picture. And the entire picture, as you know, includes the agreement George W. Bush made with the Maliki government in Iraq that set the end of 2011 as the date to withdraw American troops." 

Jeb Bush, a leading contender for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election, has said Obama, and by extension Clinton, bungled a chance to leave behind a contingency force of about 10,000 troops when American forces left Iraq in 2011. 

Clinton, though, said the Obama administration had worked "to persuade the Maliki government to permit continuing American support for the Iraqi army." 

"Maliki did not want a continuing American presence," she said.

You know I said back when Jebbie first made this argument that it would be incredibly simple for Hillary to knock the ball back into Bush's court, and she has done exactly that.

And when it comes to what America should do about ISIS moving forward I think Clinton once again reflects the country's desire to keep out troops out of harms' way.

"This has to be an Iraqi-led mission," she said. "I think we have to do more and I hope we will do more to try to get the whole region together to drive ISIS out of the territory that they occupy, to rescue the people they have enslaved, predominantly women."

I am once again stunned that Jeb Bush has advisers who are not able to see what a stupid idea it is to try and blame ANY of Iraq's current problems instead of where is really belongs. And that is to George W. Bush and his  neocon administration.

Here is a tweet I saw recently that explains this incredibly well.

Perhaps most succinct explanation of who is 2 blame 4 Isis. U get 2 guesses at the 2 culprits http://t.co/oCcYJiUsft pic.twitter.com/j8MgAvNlPN

— Patrick M (@andendall) August 14, 2015

And with that just drop the mic, because there is really no more that needs to be said.

Newly released photos show that Dick Cheney watched the towers burning to the ground on 9-11 with his feet up.

So there are these newly released photos of the Bush administration on 9-11 that I think are supposed to show them emotionally distraught and seriously considering how they should respond.

But what struck me, was this one of Cheney with his feet on his desk calmly watching the screen as if he were watching a tennis match or something.

Now have little doubt that all of you remember how you felt on that day. Did any of you feel like leaning back in your chair with your feet up to watch these towers burn?

Speaking just for myself I was so distraught that I watched for much of the morning while standing in front of my TV to upset to even sit down. And when the first tower fell my knees literally buckled.

I spent almost a solid week after that day rewatching the footage until my wife finally pried the remote out of my hands and told me I needed to get the hell out of the house and do something to take my mind off of it.

Yet there sits Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States, with his feet up.